Should I buy a Demo Truck?

UplandPa · February 19, 2016

The fact that your asking that question is really your answer! You'll always be wondering about it and your spending a great deal of money. YOU SHOULD BE TOTALLY HAPPY WITH YOUR PURCHASE! That's a lot of truck but I think you can get what you want for your price. These trucks are awesome!

nfd78910 · February 19, 2016

I went in today and it had 2800 miles on it. They told me they would not budge on $45,700. I told them I would come back in and buy it at no more than $44,000. Feel like I am not getting a good deal.

Also, I test drove the truck and the shifting seemed rough between first and second. Both on the up shift and down shift. Salesman said this was normal on the 8 speed. Anyone know if that is the case? Thanks

jamin87ss · February 20, 2016

Sorry but that's not enough off for 3000 miles,

tobinstetson · February 20, 2016

Mine was a dealer salesman demo in Canada. He drove it two months, 2600 kms when I bought it. I got $12,000 off MRSP and they treated it like a brand new vehicle with 0% financing, full warranty, etc. I am happy with it. I feel like the bugs will get worked out and hopefully no lemon when you buy a demo with some mileage on it. I put on lots of miles so i won't notice the extra kilometers in a year.

I live in a very small town and there isn't much selection. I loved the red color, 4x4, 4 doors but the only downside is that you don't get to check the boxes. A high country doesn't leave much off the sheet, though. The only thing I'd extra that I would want is heated seats.

decee · February 20, 2016

I went in today and it had 2800 miles on it. They told me they would not budge on $45,700. I told them I would come back in and buy it at no more than $44,000. Feel like I am not getting a good deal.

Also, I test drove the truck and the shifting seemed rough between first and second. Both on the up shift and down shift. Salesman said this was normal on the 8 speed. Anyone know if that is the case? Thanks

There has to be more than one dealer around

ShotgunZ71 · February 20, 2016

Much better deals to be had out there. Don't even respond to them again. Find you a new one at a better price then go show them your new truck.

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2016 chevy 6.2 · February 20, 2016

I have done it two times and never had a problem and it's cheep

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Imcrazy · February 20, 2016

If you can get more $$ off sure. I got close to that off of a new LT. I'd have to see about 15k off MSRP to consider buying the demo.

Spurly · February 20, 2016

Who "demoed" it? The sales manager? General manager? Or lots of people?

They are offering you close to 20% off. You can easily get 10%+ off on any new vehicle at any dealer. So only you can decide if 2000 miles is worth an additional 10% off.

And really, how much abuse, if any, can happen in just 2,000 miles?

I rent vehicles almost weekly for work because of how much I travel. I rented a 2015 Buick Lacrosse with 7 miles on the odometer. By mile 50, the check engine light came on and went into limp mode. Needless to say, if it ain't mine I don't go easy on them.

But if it was a dealer demo, it's probably been taken care of. The dealership will lend a high end model to the general manager or owner so the latest and greatest can be seen around town. They know they will have to sell the vehicle so they are usually taken care of and then the vehicles are generally sold under new status since they were never owned. Granted, this is from my experience working at 2 different Chrysler dealerships and they may handle business different than GM. I would price out a similar spec'd Silverado and see what you can talk them down to. If you're within a few thousand I would probably get the 'new' for sake of being 'new'. If there's a large gap in price, go with the demo unit.

ImminentFailure · February 20, 2016

I only have experience leasing demo cars but both have been flawless. last one was a Terrain with 5K miles on it which ended up being about $6k off or 17% MSRP. Made my payment cheap as ****.

It sounds like the vehicle was never 'put in service'. That is what determines when you warranty starts / if it started. If it was never titled then it is not 'used' and will not mimic standard depreciation. It's like the guy at the factory drove it around the plant for 2,800 miles before he put it on the trailer.

What's the concern if the warranty starts at delivery? Basically you'll get bumper to bumper for 38,800 miles, that's more time for issues to come up and be covered. Price out the same truck with the same options as new with all the rebates / deals you can get on new. If the demo is $2,500 - $3,500 below the new out the door price then it's a good deal.

Make them do an oil change, filter replacement, clean carpets, all that stuff and DEMAND they do NOT submit to GM for reimbursement through the 'included maintenance' program. My Terrain demo was in service for a year before I took it on a 24 month lease, so my 3yr warranty expired one month after lease turn in. I got the 2 years / 24,000 miles 4 max occurrences tire rotation/oil change thing but I personally was only able to use 3 of them because at delivery they used one up to get it ready to go. GM reimburses the dealer for that "scheduled maintenance".

JerryCanada · February 20, 2016

I see demos the same as used vehicles. Look at the black book value for it. I know dealers who supplies high end loaners to some customers when they go for service and they probably don't get the best treatment. If you buy a new truck and put 2000 miles on it and decide to trade it in they won't just remove a few thousands of the msrp on their offer.

kverduin · February 20, 2016

I went with a demo truck. 2015 sierra 1500. Msrp was 46k and got it for 37k. No issues and well worth taking advantage of a nice price cut

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2004lebanshee · February 21, 2016

If you guys saw the way the outsourced minimum wage druggies drove your (7 miles truck) around the parking lots at GM to load them to rail cars and trucks you would all buy a demo. Why not its already been drove hard before you got it. The 1st mile on the truck is usually beat. It's a truck. I see people all the time flooring and braking hard with these vehicles to load them and get them in position.

These motors can handle daily use in a boat which is WAY worse then any beating you could put in a truck to them. They can handle LOOOOOONG redline runs. Relax they are made for it.

Here's some more food for thought. The vehicles get wrecked all the time and an outside body shop comes in and fixes them before there sold as new. Nobody ever knows which ones either. Any one of you could have a repaired truck. They also find defects on batches in the yard as well. Those get repaired and sold.

They don't go back to the line to get fixed. If its a dealer manager driving the truck for a few thousand buy it. He drives Silverado's all dam day there not that much fun to just beat on them all day every day of the week. He's not getting a ticket or wrecking one of these.

Silverado Steve · February 21, 2016

Back when I bought my truck in 2013, the local dealer here had a dealer demo with around 2K on it. It was missing some features I wanted, but back then the dealer told me that my $1500 pop up discount didn't apply to used or demo vehicles. Something to ask your dealer for sure. As others have mentioned you can get a new truck for $8K-$10K off MSRP. Demo should go for a used price much like a year old model holdover.

ErickW · February 21, 2016

Honestly, I never would. There are several dealerships in my area, and all the demo vehicles you see driving around are being run like raped apes. No thanks.